Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Dodge Ram submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 57 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
The 25 most recent of 57, in the owner's own words
PARK POSITION WITH IGNITION KEY IN THE LOCK POSITION, VEHICLE SHIFTER MOVED OUT OF PARK , KNOCKED OWNER DOWN AND RAN OVER ME, CONTINUED TO ROLL BACK HIT SECOND CAR, CONTINUED TO KEEP GOING UNTIL IT HIT A CURB. THIS WAS A VERY DANGEROUS AND COULD HAVE CAUSED OTHER ACCIDENTS. CONSUMER SENT IN A FAX COPY OF THE INTERNET VOQ. *KB *JB
WHILE DRIVING AT 35-45 MPH VEHICLE SUDDENLY STOPPED ACCELERATING. THE VEHICLE FELT AS IF IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. TRANSMISSION BURNED FLUID, CAUSING IT TO FAIL. A MECHANIC ANT THE TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THIS WAS DUE TO THE COOLANT NOT CIRCULATING THROUGH THE TRANSMISSION WHEN VEHICLE WAS IDLING IN THE PARK GEAR. TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT.*AK CONSUMER WAS TOLD BY TWO DIFFERENT MECHANICS THAT REAR WHEEL DRIVE CHRYSLER VEHICLES IF IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, COOLANT DOESN'T CIRCULATE TO THE TRANSMISSION. CONSUMER PHONED CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED HER TO CONTACT NHTSA FOR A POSSIBLE RECALL. CONSUMER LEARNED OF THE TRANS COOLANT CONNECT RECALL. THEN SHE RECALLED THAT PART BEING REPLACED PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE FLUID WAS CHECKED BEFORE THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, AND IT WAS THICK AND BROWN AS A RESULT OF BEING BURNT. THE CONSUMER FEELS A FAIR RESOLUTION WOULD BE FOR CHRYSLER TO REIMBURSE HER AT LEAST HALF THE COST OF THE TRANSMISSION REPAIRS. *PH *NLM
WHILE TRAVELING AT 50 MPH VEHICLE STARTED SMOKING. DEALER STATED TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKED INTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE 5TH GEAR TO THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT. *AK IT WAS DISCOVERED THE NUT WHICH HELD THE 5TH GEAR INTO PLACE BECAME LOOSE. PH *JB
DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HONOR RECALL 97V084000 COCERNING TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES BECAUSE WARRANTY EXPIRED, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL .*AK *JB
VEHICLE JUMPED INTO REVERSE WHILE IT WAS TURNED ON. CONSUMER WAS ON THE STANDING ON THE OUTSIDE. DEALER NOT INFORMED. PLEASE PROVIDE MOREE INFORMATION.*AK
CONTINUOUS TRANSMISSION TROUBLE:MINOR SLIPPING,SEARCHING FOR A GEAR,SURGING,NOT GOING INTO PASSING GEAR,WHEN IT DOES IT DOES NOT STAY THERE,CLUNKS HARD WHEN PUT IN REV. VIBRATION AT START UP(MOVING) HEAT SHIELD OR REAR-END,@TIME OF ORIGINAL TRADE,WHEN THEY CHANGED THE OIL THEY EITER DIDNT PUT ANY IN OR VERY LITTLE I HAD TO ADD 5QTS NOW THERE IS A TICKING NOISE ON THE PASS, SIDE OF ENGINE,THE SALESMAN LIED TO ME ABOUT THE TRUCK I ASKED HIM "HAS THIS EVER PLOWED OR TOWED ANYTHING BEFORE?" HE SAID "NO" AFTER TALKING TO PREV.OWNER THEY WERE TOWING A BIG BOAT WITH IT .AT THIS TIME I HAVE A COMPLAINT WITH THE ME. ATTY GEN,DODGE,FILE#9921927 ON 4-18-02,MAY I PLEASE HAVE A COPY OF THIS WITH YOUR LETTERHEAD AS WELL AS A REPLY SO I CAN FOWARD THIS TO THE ATTY GEN. THANK YOU!!!!*AK
VEHICLE WAS PARKED, ENGINE RUNNING AND ROLLED BACKWARD INTO GARAGE. DAMAGE UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME.*AK
WHILE DRIVING 55-60 MPH IN 5 TH GEAR ENGINE REVVED, BUT VEHICLE STARTED TO SLOW DOWN. CONSUMER SHIFTED OUT OF GEAR INTO NEUTRAL, AND THEN TRIED TO SHIFT BACK, WAS NOT ABLE TO SHIFT BACK INTO GEAR. PLEASE ADD FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
MADE THREE TRIPS TO DEALER FOR ENGINE LIGHT OVER A PERIOD OF 45 DAYS. FIRST TRIP WAS ON 10/3/01WITH A CHARGE OF $132.25 TECH FOUND TORQUE CONVERTER NOT WORKING. CLEANED TORQUE CONVERTER SOLENOID. SECOND TRIP TO DEALER WAS MADE ON 10/30/01 WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON AGAIN. TECH FOUND SAME PROBLEM AGAIN AND REPLACED TORQUE CONVERTER SOLINOID FOR CHARGE OF $246.58. THIRD TRIP WAS MADE ON 11/13/01 WITH CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AGAIN ON. THIS TIME TECH SAID PROBABLY AN INTERNAL LEAK "SOMEWHERE" BUT DON'T KNOW WHERE. SAID OK TO DRIVE UNTIL TRANSMISSION STARTS SLIPPING. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN ON THE WAY HOME AND TRANS BEGAN SLIPPING NEXT DAY. RETURNING TO DEALER ON 11/15/01 THE TRANSMISSION GAVE OUT COMPLETELY AND HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALER CALLED ON 11/16/01 STATING THAT THE FRONT PLATE IN TRANSMISSION HAD FAILED AND PROBABLY COULD NEVER GET ALL THE METAL OUT OF TRANSMISSION. NOW COST WILL BE $2200 FOR A REBUILT TRANSMISSION. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILED DUE TO TRANSMISSION FLUID NOT REACHING OVERDRIVE MECHANISM. IT STARTED SLIPPING AS I WAS DRIVING HOME LATE ONE NIGHT AND IT COMPLETELY WENT OUT TWO DAYS LATER. MECHANIC SAYS IT STARTED IN THE OVERDRIVE MECHANISM AND WENT FROM THERE. HE STATED DODGE KNOWS ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSIONS AND WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT AS FAR AS THE CUSTOMERS EXPENSES. MY HUSBANDS DODGE TRUCK IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IT SEEMS TO BE COMMON IN THESE TRUCKS FROM 80,000 - 100,000 MILES, AND DODGE REFUSES TO PAY FOR ANY OF IT, ALTHOUGH THEY APPARENTLY MADE AN UPGRADE KIT FOR IT. MANUFACTURERS DEFECT. TRANSMISSIONS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO FIX, AND DODGE SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. I HAVE CONTACTED DODGE/CHRYSLER, AND WAS TOLD THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST ME IN MY TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS BECAUSE MY WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE TRUCK IS ONLY FOUR YEARS OLD, AND WE WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT TO BE MORE RELIABLE. I HAVE NOTICED ON THE COMPLAINT SCREEN ON NHTSA THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL OF THESE COMPLAINTS REGARDING TRANSMISSIONS. I HAVE DOCUMENTATION OF DODGE'S DECLINATION, AS WELL AS MY EFFORTS TO HAVE THEM HELP ME. AT THIS TIME BOTH OUR DODGE TRUCKS ARE UNRELIABLE, AND BECOMING INCREASINGLY EXPENSIVE TO CONTINUE TO FIX. I HAVE REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE U-JOINTS ALSO. ANY AMOUNT OF HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. IT'S EXPENSIVE ENOUGH TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLES WITHOUT CONTINUALLY PUTTING MONEY INTO THEM TO KEEP THEM RUNNING, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE TRUCKS ARE ONLY 4 YEARS OLD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR HELP AND YOUR INTERNET SITE. I WAS QUITE RELIEVED TO FIND IT. *AK
INTERMITTENTLY TRANSMISSION HESITATES AND THEN WILL KICK IN. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
THERE IS NO SHIFT INTERLOCK SYSTEM PRESENT IN VEHICLE, AND VEHICLE CAN BE TAKEN OUT OF PARK WITHOUT USE OF A KEY. *AK
AT 60,000 TRANSMISSION REPLACED; 68,000 BOTH U-JOINS REPLACED; 75,000 DIFFERENTIAL REBUILT; 80,000 UNIVERSAL JOINT REPLACED; NOW DIFFERENTIAL SLIPS AFTER STOPPING
TRANSMISSION STARTED SLIPPING, TRIED TO TAKE TO THE SHOP NEXT DAY. TRANS WOULD NOT SHIFT AND IT GROUND WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE. TOOK TRUCK TO AAMCO AND THEY SAID IT WAS CAUSED BY A CHECK VAULVE THAT WAS IN THE TRANSMISSION LINE THAT WAS REPLACED DUE TO A RECALL. THE REPAIR COSTED OVER $2,000.00. THE ENTIRE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REBUILT. I HAVE A COPPY OF THE REPAIR BILL WITH A LISTING OF PARTS REPLACED. THANK YOU. *AK
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. DEALER REPLACED TRANSMISSION ONCE ALREADY, BUT PROBLEM STILL OCCURS. *AK *JB
MECHANIC EXPLAINED THAT OVERDRIVE FAILED, CAUSING COMPLETE DESTRUCTION OF TRANSMISSION, TORQUE CONVERTER AND RELATED ELECTRONICS. MECHANIC ALSO MENTIONED MANY SIMILAR FAILURES IN NEWER PICKUP TRUCKS.*AK
TRANSMISSION WILL FAIL TO FUNCTION DURING COLD WEATHER. HAS TAKEN VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP FOR PROBLEM, AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK DEALER REPLACED VALVE BODY, HOWEVER THIS DID NOT FIX PROBLEM. *SLC
THE TORQUE CONVERTER SHREDDED ITSELF IT COST $2000 TO MAKE ALL NECESSARY REPAIRS TO TRANSMISSION
TRANSMISSION WOULD HAVE LATE OR NO SHIFT INTO THIRD GEAR CAUSING ENGINE TO REV TO HIGH RPMS NOT ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO GO OVER 45 MPH. UPON TAKING THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIRS THE MECHANIC INFORMED US THAT THE MANFACTURER WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH WAS CAUSED BY AN INNER SEAL GROOVE. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A RECALL OR HAS THE MANUFACTER OFFERED ANY COMPENSATION FOR THIS DEFECT?
WE HAVE CHANGED TIRE BRANDS. TRANSMISSION OR DRIVESHAFT IS STILL NOISY, BUT DOES NOT SEEM TO EFFECT ANYTHING. IT SHOULD BE ON RECALL BUT THE CAR PLACE SAID THAT THIS PROBLEM COULD EASILY BE MISTAKEN FOR LOSING THE REAR END. THE ONE BRAKE HAS CONTINUALLY NOT CLOSED PROPERLY AND THEREFOR DOES NOT WEAR LIKE THE OTHER 3. *AK( DOT NUMBER: )
TRANSMISSION CEASED TO WORK WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH. NO FORWARD MOVEMENT. HAD TRUCK TOWED HOME. DROVE THE NEXT DAY, BUT WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO 2ND. GEAR. SCRANTON DODGE PERFORMED DIAGNOSTIC TEST (REVEALED CODE 37: OVERDRIVE LOCKUP SOLENOID MALFUNCTION) , SAID TRANS. WAS BAD AND WANTED $2,456.00 FOR REPLACEMENT. NO WARRANTY HELP BECAUSE TRUCK WAS OVER WARRANTY COVERAGE BY 2,950 MILES. MECHANIC SAID FLUID WAS BURNT AND THERE WAS "METAL IN THE PAN AND IT RUINED THE SOLENOIDS." (INSPECTION LATER REVEALED NO METAL IN PAN OR BURNT FLUID). CALLED CHRYSLER (1-800-992-1997) SPOKE TO DON GRIESBAUM, EXT. 7088 GAVE AUTHORIZATION NO. 7934794. HE SAID THAT CHRYSLER WOULD "HELP" WITH THE COST, BUT WOULD NOT GIVE A HINT AS TO WHAT "HELP" MIGHT BE. SCRANTON DODGE WOULD HAVE TO DISASSEMBLE THE TRANS. TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM, AND THEN CHRYSLER WOULD DEEM IF IT WAS "DRIVER NEGLECT" WHICH WOULD GET NO "HELP" FROM CHRYSLER. ALSO ONCE TRANS IS DISASSEMBLED, IT CANNOT LEAVE THE DEALER UNTIL IT HAS BEEN FULLY REPAIRED. I WOULD HAVE OK'D THE TEARDOWN BUT $2,456.00 FOR A TRANS WITH A 36K MILE WARRANTY SEEMED USELESS WHEN MINE FAILED AT 38,950 AND I PUT 22K MILES ON IN 19MOS. I ASKED DON GRIESBAUM IF THE TRANSMISSION IS DEFECTIVE WITH NO FAULT ON MY PART, HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO COST ME. HE REPLIED THAT HE COULD NOT DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION TO ME UNTIL MY TRUCK WAS DISASSEMBLED AT A CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP. I HAVE BEEN MAKING PAYMENTS ON A TRUCK THAT HAS BEEN SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY SINCE NOVEMBER . I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH CHRYSLER'S AUTO TRANS. AAMCO TRANSMISSIONS (SCRANTON) SAID THAT IF DODGE HAD TO RECALL EVERY FAULTY TRANS. THEY BUILT, THEY WOULD BE BANKRUPT. CARAVANS AND RAMS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR EARLY TRANS. FAILURE. THE NEWSGROUPS ON THE NET ARE FILLED WITH COMPLAINTS AND PEOPLE REQUESTING INFO ON CLASS ACTION LAWSUITS. I FEEL THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS PROBLEM AND TAKE SOME ACTION TO CORRECT IT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, WILLIAM R. MOORE.
TRANSMISSION SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL WHEN GOING UP AN INCLINE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE, AND HAS NOT BEEN ABLE TO REPAIR IT. *AK
CONSUMER NOTICED A LEAK AROUND TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE THAT SPILLED INTO RADIATOR. THIS WAS SAME EXACT PROBLEM AS STATED IN MANUFACTURER'S RECALL 722 FOR TRANSMISSION COOLING LINE. *AK
TORQUE CONVERTER BURNED, TRANSMISSION WAS SLIPPING, BUT DEALER REFUSED TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *SLC
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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